Download Carbon Plant

Carbon Plant
Rocky Mountain Power
Pacific Power
PacifiCorp Transmission
Carbon plant was retired April 15, 2015 after
60 years and 5 months of service. When Unit 1 was
completed in 1954 it was the utility’s first investment
in a large power plant near the fuel source, utilizing
bulk transmission to move electricity hundreds of
miles to where customers needed it. Unit 2 was
completed in 1957.
Dismantling of the plant, together with a program to restore the
site to an essentially natural condition will continue into mid2017. PacifiCorp selected a contractor for the project, National
Service & Salvage Corporation, after competitive bidding. Some
equipment and parts at Carbon were deployed for use by other
plants. Much of the metals used in Carbon plant’s structures can
be recycled. All wastes and other materials from plant operations
will be completely removed from the site and disposed of in
compliance with applicable environmental regulations.
Carbon plant provided high-paying secure jobs in Central Utah
communities for three generations of residents. Over the years,
699 people worked at the plant, with scores of others finding
employment locally in support industries. The availability of highquality low-sulfur coal in the region prompted the company to
construct two other power plants in the area, Huntington in 1974
and Hunter in 1978, which continue to operate today.
PacifiCorp has an excellent record of environmental stewardship
for projects of this kind, having retired several coal-fueled and
hydroelectric power plants in its long history. The company also
has been recognized for its expertise in reclamation projects by
both state and federal environmental regulators.
While increasingly restrictive air quality regulations were a key factor
in the decision to retire the plant, Carbon was nearing the end
of its service life. As well, the plant’s location in a narrow canyon
setting with limited room, made it impractical to construct the
kinds of additional emission controls that have been employed at
the company’s other coal plants. Ultimately, the decision to retire
Carbon was in the best interests of customers.
2016 PacifiCorp
PacifiCorp is one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United
States, providing approximately 1.8 million customers in the West with
reliable, efficient energy. PacifiCorp operates as Rocky Mountain Power in
Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, and as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington
and California. The West’s largest single owned-and-operated transmission
system is managed and operated by PacifiCorp Transmission.